Government of India Rationalizes Indian Visa Regime: Categories Reduced by Nearly 50 Percent

UdaipurTimes, 11 November 2026 | Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs News: The Government of India has simplified India's visa regime. The steps taken to rationalize the visa regime is aimed at boosting foreign tourist arrivals, enhance medical value travel and foreign student arrivals.

Salient Points:

• Categories reduced from 13 to 9
• Sub-categories reduced from 49 to 23
• Number of fields to be filled in the application forms for all 23 visa sub-categories reduced by 65%–70%
• Application process easier, faster, and more applicant-friendly
• Reduce overlap between visa categories and make framework easier to navigate for visitors, patients, students, researchers, investors and business professionals
• Rationalization intends to boost legitimate travel, education, healthcare and economic engagement with India through clearer, purpose-based visa options

 Background

On 27th August, 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs reduced the number of main visa categories from 13 to 9 and the number of sub-categories from 49 to 23. This follows the earlier rationalisation undertaken in October, 2025, when the main visa categories were reduced from 22 to 13 and sub-categories from 63 to 49. While considering the simplification of Indian Visa regime, the Government of India studied the Visa system of the developed countries and global standards.

The consolidation of similar purposes of travel is aimed at providing greater clarity and ease in identifying the appropriate visa category while facilitating legitimate foreign arrivals.

Currently e-visa is processed by electronic travel authorization under 13 sub categories. The facility of e-visa is presently available to the nationals of 172 countries.

The revised visa framework now comprises nine main categories as indicated below:

1. Business Visa

Long-term business activities including establishing an industrial/business venture; short- term business activities like participation in sports & cultural/commercial performances, production investment business, attending conferences, shooting of films including documentaries & advertisement films.

2. Diplomatic Visa

Diplomats including UN Diplomats assigned to India or visiting India and their dependents

3. Work Visa

Long-term employment with Indian companies/organizations, working in NGOs and missionary activities

4. Journalist Visa

Journalists accredited in India

5. Medical Visa

Foreigners visiting India to undergo intensive/indoor medical treatment including treatment under Ayush systems and their attendants

6. Official Visa

Non-diplomatic officials including UN non-diplomatic officials assigned to India or on a visit to India and their dependents

7. Student Visa

School/graduate/post-graduate education, studies in Yoga, Vedic Culture & Indian Music/Dance, Buddhist studies, studies of Indian Languages & Indian knowledge systems, research, internship and exchange students

8. Visitor Visa

Tourism, short-term activities including business meetings, medical consultations & Wellness retreats, transit and mountaineering

9. Miscellaneous Visa

Persons of Indian Origin & their spouses/children, those coming to join various specified institutions like Auroville Foundation, dependents of foreign nationals coming on various long duration visas, stay visa for Afghanistan nationals, Long Term Visa for certain categories of nationals from neighbouring countries and other miscellaneous purposes not covered by any other visa category.

Visitor Visa: greater flexibility for short and long stays

The erstwhile Tourist Visa has been renamed Visitor Visa, reflecting a broader range of permitted purposes beyond conventional tourism. The category has been organised into two sub-categories, V-1 and V-2, so that applicants may select a visa suited to the nature and duration of their proposed visit.

V-1 Visa: In addition to other eligible visitor activities, it covers short-term activities such as business meetings, medical consultations, wellness retreats, short-duration medical treatment and short-term courses in Indian languages, music, art and craft. It is granted for 30 days with multiple entries.

V-2 Visa: Intended for longer-duration visits, with validity of 1, 5 or 10 years, as specified. It covers the activities permissible under V-1 and mountaineering. For mountaineering, a visa of six months, with multiple entries, will be granted.

By bringing a wider range of short visits under a clearly identified category, the new arrangement makes visa selection simpler for travelers who may combine leisure with business meetings, medical consultations, wellness retreats or cultural learning, short duration yoga programme. The longer-duration V-2 option provides continuity and convenience for eligible repeat visitors, while the specific mountaineering provision addresses the distinct needs of such travel.

Medical Visa: continuity of care and ease of repeat visits

The Medical Visa framework retains separate provisions for treatment under conventional and AYUSH systems. M-1 Visa covers medical treatment other than treatment under AYUSH systems, while M-3 Visa covers treatment under AYUSH systems. M-1 and M-3 Visas, including their e-Visa variants, will be granted for one year as a default option with multiple entries. Corresponding medical attendant visa provisions are also available accordingly M-2 and M-4 Visas will be granted for attendant of M-1 and M-3 visa holders respectively.

This arrangement gives patients greater predictability when treatment involves multiple consultations, follow-up appointments or staged procedures. Multiple-entry validity can reduce the need for repeated visa applications during a course of care, while the distinct AYUSH provision helps applicants identify the appropriate treatment route. The availability of attendant visas also facilitates support by accompanying persons. This will encourage the Medical Value Tourism in India as per  the Prime Minister’s Vision of Heal in India.

Student Visa: clearer pathways for education and research

The Student Visa category has been consolidated into two broad sub-categories. S-1 Visa covers school, graduate and post-graduate education. S-2 Visa covers PhD and research scholars in Indian universities, visiting faculty, foreign research students visiting India for research, scientific and anthropological expeditions, internships and exchange students, among other specified academic activities.

For foreign students enrolled in Indian educational institutions through the Study in India portal, the e-S1 Visa may be granted for up to five years or for the duration of the academic course, whichever is less, with multiple entries. These provisions offer students a more readily identifiable visa pathway and greater certainty for academic planning. Longer validity linked to the course duration can also minimise procedural interruptions and make it easier for eligible students to travel during their studies.

Business Visa: clearer provisions for investment and specialized activities

The Business Visa category has been consolidated into B-1 and B-2. B-1 Visa covers long-term, licence-based business activities, including foreign nationals seeking to establish industrial or business ventures in India. B-2 Visa covers short-term, contract-based business activities, including Production Investment Business, conferences, sports, performative arts and films.

A specific provision has also been made for foreign subject-matter specialists, engineers and technical personnel engaged by Indian companies in activities such as installation and commissioning, quality checks and essential maintenance, production, IT and ERP ramp-up, training, supply-chain development, plant design and bring-up, senior management and technical support, including transfer of know-how, technology and services. Such personnel may be granted a Production Investment Business Visa under the B-2 category through the e-Visa platform. This was earlier granted under e-B4 visa nomenclature.

This differentiation gives businesses greater clarity when planning long-term investments as against short-term contractual assignments. The dedicated provision for technical specialists can facilitate timely deployment of expertise for setting up and operationalising industrial facilities, transferring technology, training personnel and supporting production, thereby improving predictability for companies and foreign professionals alike.

Simpler, purpose-based visa framework

Taken together, the changes reduce overlap between visa categories and make the framework easier to navigate for visitors, patients, students, researchers, investors and business professionals. The rationalisation is intended to support legitimate travel, education, healthcare and economic engagement with India through clearer, purpose-based visa options, subject to applicable eligibility criteria and conditions.

Simplified Visa Application Forms to facilitate Foreign Nationals visiting India

The Ministry of Home Affairs has undertaken a comprehensive exercise to simplify and rationalize visa application forms across 23 categories/sub-categories of Visas. The required filed/column for all 23 categories/sub-categories of Visas have been reduced 65%-70%. The initiative aims to significantly reduce the information required from foreign national, simplify visa form while retaining essential details necessary for visa processing. This will reduce time and effort required to complete application by the applicant as well as it will enhance administrative efficiency by facilitating more focused scrutiny and processing of visa application.

To implement all changes made in Indian Visa Regime, the MHA is updating the IT systems and by year-end, visas will be granted as per new rationalization.

This post is a press release issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The content is mainly from the press note, with minor changes to frame it into digital readibility and shortening the headline to adapt it to digital platforms.